But there is no other
work more full of ideas, or richer in thought; it is the reasoning of
a poet, and a poet's way of viewing the world. The one great
principle of these lectures again is _Panslavism_,--Panslavism
spiritualized and idealized; and therefore in a shape which can
inspire little fear to others in respect to their own nationality,
although it can never excite their sympathies. Mickiewicz still
idolizes Napoleon, and prophesies a revolution of the world; a new
revolution, a torch to illumine the world; he himself is "a spark,
fallen from that torch;" his mission is to prophesy to the world the
coming events "as a living witness of the new revelation," Although
these prophecies are not strictly political, we can see plainly, that
in the expectation of the prophet this new revolution will consist in
"the union of the _force_ of Slavic genius, with the _knowledge_ of
the West" (France); by which of course the intermediate Teutonic
principle must be crushed.
In purely poetical creations, this great poet shows his full power. In
a beautiful tale, _Pan Tadeusz_, "Sir Thaddeus," (Paris 1834,) which,
though in verse, may be considered as a novel, he very graphically
described the civil and domestic life existing in Lithuania
immediately before the war of 1812; and gave also further evidence of
his genius by several smaller poems.
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